Automatic ignition-boosting device



Dec. 17, 1935. w R 5s 2,024,722

AUTOMATIC IGNITION BOOSTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1934 -INVENTOR 55 I 51 ll m /0 v 1? -A7TORNEY6- Patented Dec. 17, 1935 PATENT OFFICE 1 AUTOMATIC IGNITION-BOOSTING DEVICE William R. Curtiss, Meriden, Conn., assignor to Connecticut Telephone & Electric Corporation. Meriden, Conm, a corporation Application November 19, 1934, Serial No. 753,641

14 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic devices for raising or boosting the voltage supplied to ignition apparatus to render the same highly effective when the normal source of current-supply is be- -ing subjected to such heavy load as would reduce the normal voltage of the current supplied thereby. Such drop in voltage occurs, for instance, when the circuit is closed to the starting motor of an internal combustion engine, and particularly so in cold weather.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a superior automatic ignition-boosting device of the character referred to, so constructed and arranged as to be reliable and effective in its action.

A further object is to provide an ignition-boosting device which may be conveniently installed by-relatively unskilled persons with minimum of effort.

Another object is to provide an ignition-boosting device in which a battery and an automatic control-relay therefor are organized as a unit,

and both of the same, together with the electric I connections therebetween, are enclosed'within a suitable housing to thereby guard against the derangement or damage of the said connections,

etc. v

A still further object is to provide a receptacle or holder for the battery-unit of an ignition boosting device so constructed and arranged that the correct relative positioning of the component individual cells of such batteries is'assured.

With the above and other objects in view, as

.willappear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and appended claims, the present invention includes all features disclosed therein which are novel over the prior art.

In' the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form which an ignition-boosting unit may assume in accordance witlr-the present invention, the cover-member being removedr Fig.2 is an inner face view of the cover-member;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1;

ing. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig, 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating on manner in which theimproved ignition-boosting unit maybe connected into an ignition circuit.

The ignition-boosting unit herein chosen as illustrative of the present invention includes a l3 retained in place thereon with capacity for convenient removal by means of two.(more or less) spring-clips ||--l4'pivotally secured to the 1 wall-member ll of the casing by means of studs l-I5.

Secured by means of rivets It to the inner face of the bottom-member l2 of the casing Ill, adjacent one end thereof, is a series of three superimposed insulating-plates l1, l8 and IS. The uppermost one IQ of the insulating-plates is provided adjacent each of its four corners with an aperture 20, through, each of which is adapted to project the centrally-projecting terminal 2| of an adjacent one of a plurality of electric cells 22. Interposed between the insulating-plates l3 and I9 are two contact-plates 23 and 24 respectively located adjacent the opposite ends of the said plates, each in position to underlie two of 25 the apertures 23 in the uppermost insulatingplate I3, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Mounted on the upper face of the uppermost insulating-plate I9 is a resilient contact-plate 25 having complementary bowed arms at its respective opposite ends and positioned to-be engaged by the flat so-called "bottom surface of two of the cells 22,

' as'indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The contact-plate 23 is electrically interconnected to the resilient contact-plate 25 by means of a wire or other suitable conductor 23 preferably positioned between the outermost and intermediate insulating-plates I1 and I8. The complementary contact-plate 24 is connected by means of a wire 21 to one terminal 23 of an electromagnet-relay generally designated by the numeral 23, which will be more fully hereinafter described.

Secured to the inner face of the cover l3 in position to register in spaced relationship with the insulating-plates l1, l3 and I9 is a similar series of insulating-plates 30, 3| and 32, the innermost one 32 of which is provided intermediate its ends with two apertures 33 adapted to receive the terminal-projections 2| of the two cells 22 overlying the contact-plate 25in the casing l0.

Aligned with the apertures 33 in the insulatingplate 32 is a contact-plate 34 positioned between the insulating-plates 3i and 32 and electrically connected to a resilient contact-plate 35; mounted 55,

upon the inner face of the innermost insulatingplate 32, and having at each of its respective opposite ends two resilient bowed arms. when the cover is applied to the casing, the contact-plate 35 is adapted to overlie and engage the flat end surfaces of the two cells 22 which are engaged with the contact-plate 24 within the casing.

Located at the opposite-ends of the insulatingplates from the resilient contact-plate 3 5 is a corresponding contact-plate 35 also mounted upon the inner face of the insulating-plate 32 and adaptedto overlie and engage the so-called bottom ends of the pair of cells 22 which are engaged with the contact-plate 23 within the casing Ill. The contact-plate 35 just referred to is, electrically connected by means of rivets 31 to an L-shaped metal plate 38 mounted between the insulating-plates 30 and 3! and having an inwardly-projecting contact-finger 39.

As thus installed in the casing, and when the cover i3 is applied thereto, all six of the cells 22 shown are connected in series-parallel, with two sets of three cells each, being in series, and the complementary terminals of the battery composed of the said cells being provided by the wire 21 and the contact-finger 39 before referred to.

The series of cells 22 are held against lateral shifting by means of two sheet-metal partitionbars 40 and 41 extending between opposite side walls of the casing l and firmly secured thereto by riveting, spot-welding, or any other suitable manner. Mounted upon the partition-bar 40 and insulated therefrom by a sheet of insulation 42 is a yielding contact 43 which is connected by means of a wire 44 to a binding-post 45 mounted in the end wall of the casing l0 and suitably insulated therefrom. A wire 45 also extends from the inner end oi. the binding-post 45 to an arm 41 carrying a contact 48 complementing the contact 28 of the relay 29 already referred to. The contact 28, like the contact 48, is carried by an arm 49 rigidly secured to but insulated from a magnetic yoke 50.

The magnetic yoke 50 is secured to the wall of the casing I 0 opposite the cells 22 by means of the core of an electromagnet 52. The said core is shouldered and reduced at its outer end and projects through the casing, from which it is suitably insulated, and serves as a binding-post 53.

The magnetic yoke 50 is insulated from the casing, as are also the binding-posts 45 and 53, by means of an insulating-plate 54. The said yoke has pivotally mounted upon one of its arms a magnetic armature 55 which is adapted to be swung to engage its outer end with the contact 28 by the electromagnet 52, but is normally heldin engagement with the contact 48 by a helical spring 55. 'The outer end oi. the said armature is electrically connected by the said spring 55 to the yoke 50, but in order to insure fully reliable electrical connection, a looped flexible wire 51 pref? erably is soldered or otherwise secured to the outer end of the said armature and to an adjacent surface of the yoke 50. The shouldered portion of the core 5| of the electromagnet 52 engages with the yoke 58 so that the binding-post 53, provided by the outer end of the said core, is electrically connected with the said yoke.

One terminal 58 of the electromagnet 52 is soldered or otherwise secured to the casing III to provide a ground connection, while the other terminal 59 of the said electromagnet is connected to the inner end of a binding-post 50 which projects outwardly through the insulating-plate 54 and through the wall of the casing' I I, from which latter it is suitably insulated.

As thus constructed and arranged, the boosting unit, comprising the battery of cells 22 and the automatic means for cutting the same into 5 and out or action, is enclosed within a protected casing in such manner that the relay, cells, and various conductors are secure against disruption and damage, and the installation is rendered so simple that it maybe readily accomplished by relatively unskilled persons with minimum effort, since the relatively-complex and delicate connections are all prearranged in definite relationships within the casing and its cover.

Furthermore, the correct relative positioning of the various cells 22 is assured to the extent that it will be obvious to a person installing the cells that four of the said cells should be inserted into the casing in such manner that the projecting terminals thereof will register with the four apertures 20 in the insulating-plate l3. Similarly, it will be obvious that the center two cells of the series should be reversely installed in the casing so that their center terminals upstandv for entrance through the apertures 33-33 in the insulating-plate 32 secured within the cover l3, when the said cover is applied to the casing. The completion of the interconnection of thecells 22, aswell as their connection to the binding-post 45, etc., is accomplished by the simple act of applying the cover to the casing.

The boosting unit of the present invention may be installed in an ignition circuit in the manner shown, for instance, in Fig. 5. Ordinarily, a wire 5|, indicated by broken lines in Fig. 5, extends is connected, as shown, by means 01' a wire 54 to one terminal of a starting-switch 55, the other terminal of which latter is connected by a wire 55 in the usual manner to a storage battery 51 'having its opposite terminal grounded. When it is desired to start an internal combustion engine, of which the apparatus shown in Fig.

5 forms a part, an ignition-switch 58 is closed, whereupon current from the storage battery 51 will be supplied to the distributor 53 along the path represented by full-line arrows in Fig. 5. If, now, the starting-switch 55 be closed to energize a starting-motor 59 and'thus impose such heavy load on the storage battery 81 as might reduce the voltage thereof, the electromagnet 52' will be energized.

The energization of the electromagnet 52 as above described will cause the armature 55 of the relay to be moved out of engagement with the contact 43 and-into engagement with the contact 28, whereupon the current supplied to the disvmeans including one or more conductors serving the spring it of the armature 55 will assert itself and move the said armature out of engagement with the contact 28 and into engagement with the contact 48, whereupon the cells 22 will be automatically cut out of the circuit and the storage battery, as now relieved of its excessive starting load, will alone supply current to the spark-coil 82 along the paths indicated by fullline arrows in Fig. 5. I

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than that herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim: I

1. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing having an opening therein; a battery in the said casing; an electromagnet-relay also in said casing: a cover-member for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially close the opening therein; and con-.

ducting-means within the'said casing interconnecting the said relay and battery; said conducting-means including one or more conductors ren-' dered operative by the closing of said cover upon said casing.

2. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing having an opening therein; a battery in the said casing; an electromagnet-relay also in said casing; a covermember for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially close the opening therein; and conducting-means within the said casing interconnecting the said relay and battery; said conducting-means including one or more conductors carried by the said cover-member and movable therewith into operative position by the closing of the said cover upon the said casing. Y

3. An automaticignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing having an opening therein; a battery in the said casing; an electromagnet-relay also in said casing; a cover memher for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially close the opening therein; and conducting-means within the said casing interconnecting the said relay and battery; said conducting-means including a contact can'ied by said casing and a complementary contact brought into secure engagement with the first said contact by the closing of the said cover-member upon the said casing.

4. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing having an opening therein; a battery in the. said casing; an electromaget-relay also in said casing; a cover-member for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially closethe opening therein; conductingmeans within the said casing interconnecting the said relay and battery; said conducting-means including a contact carried by said casing, and a complementary contact carried by the said cover-member and movable therewith, and brought into secure engagement with the first said contact by the closing of the said covermember upon said casing.

5. An automatic ignitionboosting unit including in combination: a casing; a-plurality of cells in said casing; an electromagnet-relay also in said casing; a cover-like member applicable over said cells in the said casing; and conductingmeans housed within said casing, the conductingto interconnect the said cells, and rendered operative by the application of said cover-like member over the said plurality of cells.

6. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing; a plurality of cells in said casing; an electromagnet-relay also in said casing; a cover-member for the said casing; and conducting-means in said casing, the conductingmeans including one or more conductors carried by the said cover-member and movable thereby into position to interconnect certain cells of the said plurality thereof.

7. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing: a plurality of cells in said casing; an electromagnet-relay also in said casing; a cover-member for the said casing; and conducting-means in said casing; said conducting-means including one or more conductors rendered operative by the closing of said covermember upon said casing and acting to electrically interconnect certain of said cells of said plurality thereof, and also to interconnect said cells with said relay.

8. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing; a plurality of cells in said casing; an electromagnet-relay also in said casing; a cover-member for the said casing; and conducting-means in said casing; said conducting-means including one or more conductors carried by the said cover-member and movable therewith into position to interconnect certain of said cells of said plurality thereof, and also to interconnect said cells with said relay.

9. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing having an opening therein; a battery in said casing; an electromagnet-relay in said casing; a cover-member for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially close the opening therein and protect the said battery when in its closed position; and conducting-means interconnecting the said battery and relay, the said conducting-means being enclosed within said casing and cover-member and protected against disruption by both thereof.

10. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing; a battery in said casing; an electromagnet-relay in said casing; a cover-member for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially complete the enclosing of the said battery and relay when in its closed position; and conducting-means interconnecting the said battery and relay, the said conducting-means being enclosed within said casing and cover-member and protected thereby against disruption.

11. An automatic ignition boosting unit including in combination: a casing; a battery in said casing; an electromagnet-relay in said casing; a cover-member for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially complete the enclosing of the said battery and relay when in its closed position; partition-means secured to the said casing and located between the said battery and the said relay; and conducting-means interconnecting the said battery and relay, the said conducting-means being enclosed within said casing and cover-member and protected thereby against disruption.

12. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing; a battery in said casing; an electromagnet-relay in said casing; a cover-member for said casing constructed and arranged to substantially complete the enclosing of the said battery and relay when in its closed position; partition-means secured to the said casing and located between the said battery and the said relay; and conducting-means interconnecting the said relay and said battery, the said conducting-means including the contact carried by the said partition-means and a complementary contact brought into secure engagement with the first said contact by the closing of the said covermember upon said casing,

13. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a housing; a plurality 01' cells, each having a projecting terminal in said housing; an electromagnet-relay also in said housing; contact-means within said housing interconnecting two or more of the said cells; and an insulating-member superimposed over the said contact-means and provided with an opening through which the terminal of one of said cells projects into engagement with the said contactmeans.

14. An automatic ignition-boosting unit including in combination: a casing having an opening therein; a plurality of cells in said casing, each having a projecting terminal; an electromagnetrelay also in said casing; a cover-member for said casing; two contact-members respectively mounted, one in said casing and one on said covermember; and an insulating-member superimposed over each 0! the said contact-members and each provided with an opening through which the terminal of one of said cells may project into engagement with one oi. the said contact-members.

WILLIAM R. CURTISS. 

